Aromatic Perilla Leaf Kimchi Recipe
The Best Homemade Side Dish: Perfect Perilla Leaf Kimchi Recipe
A flavorful and spicy perilla leaf kimchi that will awaken your appetite! This recipe combines fresh perilla leaves with crisp vegetables and a savory, spicy sauce for a simple yet deeply satisfying kimchi. It’s a true rice-lover’s dream!
Main Ingredients- 30-40 perilla leaves
- 1/3 stalk green onion (white part preferred)
- 30g carrot (approx. 1/4 medium carrot)
- 50g onion (approx. 1/4 medium onion)
- 1 red chili pepper
- 2 Korean green chili peppers (adjust to spice preference)
Spicy Seasoning Sauce- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 3 Tbsp anchovy sauce (or sand lance sauce)
- 3 Tbsp red pepper flakes (coarse flakes recommended)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2/3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1.5 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (freshly ground adds more aroma)
- 1/3 cup water (approx. 60ml)
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 3 Tbsp anchovy sauce (or sand lance sauce)
- 3 Tbsp red pepper flakes (coarse flakes recommended)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2/3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1.5 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (freshly ground adds more aroma)
- 1/3 cup water (approx. 60ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
It’s crucial to wash the fresh perilla leaves thoroughly. Fill a bowl with enough water to cover the leaves, add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar, and soak for about 5 minutes. This helps remove pesticides and impurities. Afterward, rinse the leaves gently under running water, making sure to clean between each leaf.
Step 2
Trim the edges of the perilla leaves neatly. Cut each leaf into bite-sized pieces, leaving about 1-2 cm from the stem. This makes them easier to eat. Trim any overly long stem parts.
Step 3
Let’s prepare the vegetables for the seasoning. Finely mince the onion. Thinly slice the carrot and then mince it. Finely chop the green onion (focusing on the white part). (You can also use small green onions.)
Step 4
For a spicy kick, wash the red chili pepper and Korean green chili peppers, remove the stems, shake out the seeds, and mince them very finely. Adjust the amount of Korean green chili peppers according to your spice preference.
Step 5
Now it’s time to make the delicious seasoning sauce. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, anchovy sauce, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, minced garlic, and toasted sesame seeds.
Step 6
To prevent the sauce from being too thick, add the 1/3 cup of water and stir until all ingredients are well combined. Adding water helps the seasoning spread evenly on the perilla leaves and adds moisture.
Step 7
Add all the minced onion, carrot, green onion, red chili pepper, and Korean green chili peppers to the prepared seasoning sauce. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until the vegetables and sauce are well combined. Ensure the moisture from the vegetables blends with the seasoning.
Step 8
Now it’s time to carefully spread the seasoning onto the perilla leaves. Lay out the cleaned perilla leaves one by one. Using a spoon, scoop the prepared seasoning sauce and spread it evenly over the surface of each leaf. Make sure each leaf is well-coated.
Step 9
To ensure balance and even distribution of the seasoning, after spreading sauce on about 5-6 leaves, reverse the direction of the stem when stacking the next perilla leaf. This makes them easier to eat later and helps the seasoning penetrate evenly.
Step 10
Your aromatic perilla leaf kimchi is ready! With this simple process, you can create a wonderfully flavorful perilla leaf kimchi where the natural aroma of the leaves blends perfectly with the spicy seasoning. It’s delicious right away, but for an even deeper flavor, let it rest in the refrigerator for about a day for the seasonings to meld.
